There are numerous prior art treatments for filtration, clarification, coagulation and/or odor reduction of fluid streams. Previously used treatments of waste products such as sewage, plating solutions and the like, are inordinately expensive, and do not present a quick and efficient separation of insoluble metals or elimination of odors without creating additional pollutants. In the prior art one technology available for mitigation of waste streams involves precipitation of the heavy metals as the sulfide salt followed by decantation and filtration. It is an expensive operation, however, and requires constant attention by trained technical personnel.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,408,291 discloses the use of a regenerated cellulose containing precipitated sulfides of nickel, iron and zinc which are exchanged with metal ions such as cadmium, lead, mercury and silver to form insoluble sulfides of these metals. The regenerated cellulose is first treated either with arsenic or antimony which are soluble in regenerated cellulose as part of the step for subsequently forming the precipitated sulfides. Both arsenic and antimony, when subsequently exchanged during the ion exchange process, however, would be highly undesirable stream pollutants.
Also for example, deodorants such as masking agents and/or bacterial agents have been used for temporary relief from the odors. These treatments are expensive, are not permanent and need frequent applications, and do not actually eliminate the offensive gases but merely cover them up. Another known treatment process is the use of strong chemical oxidants such as lime water, potassium permanganate, chlorine, ozone, and sodium hypochlorite. While these chemicals are somewhat effective in eliminating odors, they are often corrosive to the equipment used and are themselves pollutants to the runoff water. Also, treatment of sewage, trade wastes and similar aqueous solutions to remove or separate colloidal, suspended and dissolved matter has proved to be expensive or inefficient. Similarly, raw materials of natural origin, such as diatomites, perlites, and cellulose, have been used as stabilizing and/or filtering aids for the filtration of liquids, especially beverages, to clarify or to separate off undesired solid particles or dissolved substances contributing to undesirable organoleptic characteristics. However, these materials have proven to be unsatisfactory.
Proteins or prolamines, such as zein, have many utilities due to their amphoteric nature. Proteins have been used in a wide variety of applications including in the production of paper coatings, grease-resistant coatings, laminated boards, solid color prints, printing inks, food coatings, and microencapsulants. Prolamines are substantially insoluble in water and in alcohol but are soluble in alcohol-water mixtures. It is desirable to produce and use these protein complexes in applications such as filtering aids, odor suppressants and as a coagulants or clarifying agents, in fluid, especially aqueous, environments to utilize the amphoteric characteristics of the protein components.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a method of processing fluids with fine to very fine protein-polysaccharide complex composition particles, to suppress odor or to clarify or to separate off undesired solid particles or dissolved substances often contributing to undesirable characteristics including organoleptic characteristics and contamination.
It is an object of the present invention to produce a water soluble complex containing both a substantially water insoluble protein and a polysaccharide displaying beneficial characteristics of both proteins and polysaccharides, useful as a coagulant or a clarifying agent, a stabilizing and filtering aid, and as a filter coating having predetermined or predictable physical or chemical properties suitable for specific purposes, so that it is possible, with structurally straightforward apparatus, to carry out qualitatively high value stabilizations, coagulations and separation filtrations.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a process for the production of a protein complex formed by impregnating or coating a polysaccharide with a substantially water-insoluble protein to form a coagulant or a clarifying agent, a stabilizing and filtering aid, and a filter coating.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a treatment process for the reduction of odors produced by sewage and the decomposition of animal wastes.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a treatment process for fuels to remove by filtration trace components such as magnesium that inhibit the complete combustion of the fuel.
Still other objects and advantages of the invention will in part be obvious and will in part be apparent from the specification.